The threats to the hospital come into reality as the Israeli jet fighters launched air raids on Friday and Saturday by targeting more than 80 sites in the besieged Gaza Strip in retaliation for rockets fired at southern Israel.
According to Al Jazeera, none of the Israeli citizens was killed or wounded by the rockets that the Palestinian fighters launched from Gaza Strip. Instead, one of the Israeli air raids wounded nine Palestinians and damaged the Indonesian Hospital.
After hours of the air raids, Al Jazeera reported that the Islamic Jihad movement on Saturday announced Gaza ceasefire with Israel.
The Israeli attacks that had damaged its hospital in the 11-year-long besieged Palestinian territory was condemned by the Indonesian Government, saying that the Indonesian Government and its people would remain with the Palestinian People`s struggle for independence.
During his official visit to the East Java district of Sidoarjo on Sunday, President Joko Widodo commented on the air raids that the Israeli jet fighters launched on October 27, 2018 that had damaged the Indonesian hospital.
The head of state said that the attacks had damaged not only the Indonesian Hospital but also its neighboring areas. However, this incident will not be able to change Jakarta`s stance on the Palestinian issues.
"Indonesia will remain with the People of Palestine in fighting for their independence. We do not retreat," President Joko Widodo said.
Indonesia has been known as one of the staunch supporters of the Palestinian people`s unfinished struggle for independence. Jakarta`s political stance on the Palestinian issues has even been unchanged since the era of President Soekarno.
In 1962, this founding father of Indonesia had uttered a statement, which was then used as a guidance in the Indonesian foreign policy on the Palestinian issues.
President Soekarno stated: "As long as the freedom of Palestine has yet to be returned to the Palestinians, then it will forever be for Indonesia to stand in defiance against the occupation by Israel."
Regarding the brutal attacks of the Israeli military might, Reza Aldilla Kurniawan, an Indonesian Medical Emergency Rescue Committee (MER-C) volunteer who remains in Gaza Strip, said the Israeli air raids had firstly been launched on Friday evening (Oct 26).
At least five missiles were fired to Byt Lahiya in northern Gaza, and hit the targets, which were close to the Indonesian Hospital.
The huge blasts of the Israeli missiles had caused several parts of the Indonesian Hospital to get damaged, Kurniawan said.
During the construction process of the Indonesian Hospital, the Israeli military had also launched its deadly attacks on the northern parts of Gaza.
One of the missiles that the Israeli jet fighters fired hit a target, which was just around 50 meters away from the hospital building, said Sarbini Abdul Murad, a member of the Presidium of Indonesia`s MER-C.
In defending the Indonesian Hospital in Gaza, Sarbini Abdul Murad called on the entire people of Indonesia to pray for its safety.
"May almighty Allah Subhanahu Wa Ta`ala protect the Indonesian Hospital in Gaza Strip along with the whole medical workers and our volunteers in it," Murad said.
The Israeli military`s brutal air raids caused collateral damages and threatened the lives of Palestinian civilians, several rooms of the Indonesian Hospital, including the administrative room, toilets, and Intensive Care Unit.
"The damages are not so serious." But, the Israeli attacks had forced the medical workers to move their patients to the hospital`s hallways.
"The patients are moved to the hospital`s hallways to protect them from the impact of other Israeli attacks," said Murad, who was one of the MER-C volunteers who entered Gaza Strip in advance during the Israeli and Palestinian War in 2008.
Located in Bayt Lahiya, an initiative to build the Indonesian Hospital in Gaza Strip was related to the Indonesian humanitarian relief mission for handing over the government and people`s medical assistance for Palestinians from the end of 2008 to early 2009.
Its existence has represented the true friendship of the Indonesian Government and People to the government and people of Palestine.
Editing by Andi Abdussalam
Reporter: Rahmad Nasution
Editor: Bustanuddin
Copyright © ANTARA 2018
